Strengthened can bodies of thin-walled metal

Claim 1

A can body formed of a thin-walled metallic material, comprising: said can body being provided with beads extending essentially in axial direction and in circumferential direction for the purpose of increasing the strength of the can body; said beads comprising primary beads extending in a first predetermined direction and auxiliary beads extending in a second predetermined direction essentially at right angles to said primary beads; said primary beads being continuous in said first predetermined direction with a substantially constant depth in the same radial direction and being arranged in a spaced relationship with respect to said second predetermined direction; a plurality of protuberances; said plurality of protuberances extending all in the same radial direction in the opposite radial direction of said primary beads; said plurality of protuberances defining rows of protuberances with each said row extending in said first predetermined direction along with said primary beads between two adjacent primary beads; each said auxiliary bead which extends in said second predetermined direction being located between two adjacent protuberances of a related row of protuberances; and said auxiliary beads extend in one of the two radial directions and to a lesser depth than said primary beads.